Hottest 2011 fall audio books

Jen Karsbaek is the reader, writer, blogger, podcaster, and book club host behind DevourerofBooks.com and one of our SheKnows Book Club bloggers. When not reading or writing, she is likely playing with her toddler or tweeting @devourerof...

Listen Up: Fall's Five Best Audiobooks

SheKnows asked popular book blogger Jen of Devourer of Books what's cool for fall reading. To our surprise, she picked five awesome audiobooks - so give them a listen and let us know what you think. We love them!

The Night Circus by Erin Morganstern, narrated by Jim Dale

Le Cirque des Rêves appears without any warning and disappears in the same way, enchanting patrons during the intervening nights. The vividly magical story will enchant listeners in the same way, particularly when paired with the sonorous voice of Jim Dale; although it has prompted comparisons to Harry Potter, this is definitely a rich and mature novel of friendship and destiny perfect for the adult reader.

The Bottom Line: The Night Circus will add that much-needed magic and wonder to any life, and Jim Dale has the perfect voice to work the spell.

The Submission by Amy Waldman, narrated by Bernadette Dunn

After losing her husband on 9/11, Claire Harwell has become a force to be reckoned with, both politically and culturally. As such, it is only natural that she sit on the jury to select a memorial for the victims of that tragic day. She and the other jurors are certain they have found the perfect anonymous submission, but after making their choice, they – and soon the rest of the American public - learn that the sculptor is a Muslim-American man and a virtual firestorm ensues. Bernadette Dunn's at times imperial voice is a good match for Claire's character, breathing even more life into the novel.

The Bottom Line: Remember the 10th anniversary of 9/11 with this thoughtful novel on the repercussions that day continues to have in all of our lives.

To fans of Glee she is Sue Sylvester, but at her core Jane Lynch is a woman who struggled greatly with alcohol, career, and sexuality. Even with these difficulties, however, she has remained upbeat, a believer in the 'happy accidents' that changed the course of her life, thanks to her ability to identify and take advantage of them. Lynch narrates Happy Accidents herself, and her trademark voice and inflection only enhance the experience.

The Bottom Line: A must-listen for Gleeks and those who want to believe that everything can work out if you have the right mindset.

What woman wouldn't dream of a romance with the incredibly handsome and talented Cary Grant? In Dear Cary, Grant's fourth wife Dyan Cannon relates her experiences with the famous man off-screen. Dyan narrates the account herself, providing an extra measure of emotional connection.

The Bottom Line: The audiobook of Dear Cary is the perfect way to put yourself in Dyan Cannon's shoes and imagine what it would have been like to be married to Cary Grant.

The Sisters by Nancy Jensen, narrated by Cassandra Campbell

Bertie and Mabel Fischer are all but alone in the world, with only each other for comfort in 1920s Kentucky. Unfortunately, a series of misunderstandings separate them on the day Bertie receives her eighth-grade diploma. The sisters' choices and mistakes continue to reverberate through their lives, as well as the lives of their daughters and granddaughters.

The Bottom Line: A novel both of family ties and the history of the U.S. in the 20th century, Jensen's The Sisters will leave anyone with a sister rapt, particularly with Campbell's compassionate and artful narration.